In our last post, we discussed how Lamar Sally, the husband of The View co-host Sherri Shepherd, has asked for full legal and physical custody of the couple’s unborn baby boy, who will be arriving in July via surrogacy.
As we discussed, when deciding custody matters, courts are beginning to recognize that both parents — mothers and fathers — play an integral role in the child’s life from day one.
In the past, mothers were automatically granted primary custody of children, but Illinois fathers now have more rights and methods of legal recourse when it comes to paternity, custody, visitation and adoption.
However, it is still very important for fathers to make sure their interests are properly represented in these cases by an experienced family law attorney. An attorney who is passionate about fathers’ rights can make sure that a father’s voice is heard instead of ignored.
Even though the times have changed and fathers are now considered to have equal access to their children, the wishes of fathers are often still disregarded, especially in cases involving unmarried parents.
For that reason, unmarried fathers in Illinois should make sure to register with the state’s putative father registry in order to establish legal rights that can be helpful in custody cases or fighting an unwanted adoption.
Equally important in a child custody case involving unmarried parents is a paternity test proving that the man is the biological father of the child. Once paternity has been established, the father can move forward in seeking custody or visitation.
- For more information about establishing custody rights or visitation with your child, or challenging the adoption of your child, please visit our Lake County Fathers Rights Lawyer page.
